In a popular Willie Nelson song, the singer half-jokingly warns, “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys,” but maybe he should’ve warned parents not to let their daughters grow up to be musicians.

In the wake of recent lock-ups, meltdowns, break-ups and knock-ups, it’s becoming increasingly clear that today’s female pop, rock and R & B stars are providing negative role models for children, particularly young girls.

Rapper Lil’ Kim has been in prison for perjury, while another rapper, Remy Ma, is facing charges in connection with a shooting.

Country singer Mind McCready faces numerous charges relating to DUI and unlawful possession of prescription drugs, while former “American Idol” contestant Jessica Sierra faces assault charges, jail time and rehab.

The little sister of Britney Spears, Jamie Lynn Spears, is a pregnant teen, opening a whole new can of worms for parents to deal with.

Topping the list is Britney herself. Although we might’ve expected a little trouble from her the first time she appeared in 1998’s “…Baby One More Time” video wearing her provocative bad school girl uniform, few people would’ve predicted the trainwreck her life has become.

From substance abuse issues and rehab, to a failed marriage and custody battles, the formerly squeaky clean Pepsi spokeswoman certainly isn’t worth idolizing anymore.

Or is she?

Ah, and there’s the twist!

By setting such a bad example, maybe these super-bad girls are inadvertently serving as good role models (in a roundabout sort of way). Rather than censoring the music on kids’ iPods, parents could use these celebrity missteps as teaching tools.

Talking to kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol or unsafe sex might fall on deaf ears, but when you can point to one of their favorite music stars on MTV and show them exactly what bad things can happen to them, the message might seem a little more real and relatable.

Grammy-nominated singer Amy Winehouse’s sad public battle with addiction opens a gateway for conversation about the ugly side of partying too much and peer pressure.

Jaime Lynn Spears’ pregnancy could inspire parents to talk to their kids about responsibility, relationships and safe sex.

Just as these idols can provide warnings and life lessons, they can also provide inspiration for people who are going through a difficult time. Teaching kids that just because they make a mistake, that doesn’t mean they can’t learn from it and make better choices in the future.

Newly-engaged to “Las Vegas” star Josh Duhamel, singer Fergie seems to be on top of the world. The Grammy-nominated popstar has found success with the Black-Eyed Peas and as a solo artist with her album, the Dutchess.

However, things weren’t always such a fairytale. Fergie has spoken openly in Time and Self magazines about her addiction to crystal meth. The singer is candid about this difficult topic and speaks of it in a way that does not glamorize the issue, although her current position shows us that it is possible to recover from a crisis.

Of course, the idea of using celebrities—or anyone—as a role model is a little misguided. Since nobody is inherently perfect, it is impossible to find a role model who isn’t flawed in some way. But the important thing is to use those flaws and weaknesses as an opportunity to learn from someone else’s mistakes so you can make fewer of your own.

Should kids listen to music by these controversial popstars?

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 28th, 2007 at 10:07 am and is filed under Music Downloads, Rap Music, Pop Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.